When the food service began, I barely touched my meal. I had completely lost my appetite.
Elijah leaned over once he noticed me pushing my food around my plate. “Why aren’t you eating?”
“Trying to keep my figure, of course.”
“Can’t you be serious for one night?”
I jutted out my chin. “I’m not hungry.”
Elijah’s gaze dropped to my plate of food before returning to my face. “Try to eat what you can. You need to eat something.”
I didn’t respond. Instead, I picked up a piece of the chicken I’d cut and popped it into my mouth. “Happy?”
The corner of his mouth lifted. “Yes. Thank you.”
When Elijah turned his attention back to his own plate, I set my fork down. I had no intention of eating anymore. The stares from the other guests bore into me, like tiny little spiders crawling all over my skin. Somehow, I’d turned into ‘that girl’.
‘Did you see that girl with Elijah Powell?’
‘I heard she was hitting on Jack Turner on the balcony.’
‘Well, look at how she dressed tonight.’
‘Did you see that low back?’
I wanted to crawl under the table and hide.
The worst part was that none of the Powell family came to my aid. They treated me like an outcast and left me to burn at the stake. Elijah included. He was the one person I was supposed to count on, come hell or high water.If they hadwelcomed me back and acted as if nothing was amiss, it would shut the gossips up.
But they didn’t. They never would.
I turned my head, looking over my shoulder and found Mr. Trevino’s heated gaze on me. His brow creased, and he didn’t acknowledge I had caught him looking. He just continued to stare at me.
Great. Now this little tale was going to follow me to work.
My phone buzzed in the clutch I kept in my lap. I pulled it out, keeping it under the table so I broke no more societal rules and found myself crucified again.
Jade
Are you sure you can’t make it out tonight? I might need you.
Worry shot through me.
Are you okay? What’s wrong???
I might be drinking too much…
Geez.
Is that all? Call an Uber.
You haven’t even been there that long! How are you that drunk already?
I’d much rather have my sister pick me up.
I’m not that drunk, yet.
I’m just planning for the future. See, responsible.
